[racer]

996 is very DIY friendly - oil changes, brake pads/rotors too.

Expect rear tires to wear out in 10-12K miles. Fronts last about 20K miles.

Factory oil change interval is in the 10-15K mile range, but many suggest less, so as to inspect oil for signs of bearing damage (IMS). Figure 10 qts of mobil 1 (maybe $60-70 in oil plus another 10 for filter and washers)

Coil packs tend to fade out around 60K miles. Waterpump too.
Lots of "known issues", just take some time to do some searches:

IMS
RMS
Coolant Tanks

Lots of possible cars out there. Consider your needs (awd? rear wheel only? cab/coupe?) and options (litronics, heated seats, full leather, 18" wheels, etc etc)

1999-2001 is a 3.4l motor
2002+ is a 3.6l motor